DEE 
contributed in a great meafure to their exferrrilna- 
tion. The few that ft ill remain in a wild ftate are 
found on the moors which border on Cornwall and 
Devonfhife; in the Highlands of Scotland; and 
in Ireland, on the mountains of Kerry, where they 
effentially add to the magnificence and beauty of 
the romantic fcenery of the celebrated Lake of Kil- 
larney. 
In England, the Stag and the buck are hunted 
in a fimilar manner; the animals are driven from 
their retreats in fome park, and purfued through 
the open country. But thofe who purfue the wild 
animals, have a higher objefb, as well as a much 
greater variety, in the chace. To let loofe a crea- 
ture whofe fpirit has been broken by fubjec^lion, in 
order to catch it again, feems to be but a poor pur- 
fuit, as the reward, when obtained, is only what 
had before been given away; but to purfue an ani- 
mal v/hich owns no proprietor, and which the firft 
feizer may be faid to poffefs, has fomething in it 
at leaft apparently more rational, that rewards the 
hunter for his toil, and feems to compenfate his 
induftry. Exclufive of the fuperior ftrength and 
fv/iftnefs of the' wild animal, it is endowed with 
more fagacity to elude the attacks of the hunters, 
and confequently adds to the pleafures of the 
chace. In purfuing a Stag turned out of a 
park, or other inclofure, as it is unaccuftomed to 
danger, fo it is but little verfed in the ftratagems 
of efcape; and as the hunter follows him with the 
certainty of viftory, he feels none of thofe alterna- 
tions of hope and fear which originate from the 
doubtfulnefs of fuccefs. 
Peculiar terms have been invented by hunters to 
cxprefs the different objeds of their purfuit; and, 
as thefe terms may be faid to form a part of the 
natural hiftory of the animal, thev are therefore ne- 
ccffary to be known. The profeffors of almoft 
every fcience feem to delight in adopting a lan- 
guage familiar only to themfelves, and thus accu- 
mulate words which, in the eye of ignorance, have 
the fpecious guife of knowledge. Accordingly, 
the Stag, when in his firft year, is called a calf^ 
or hind-calf; in his fecond, a knobher ; in his third, 
a brock; in his fourth, a Jlaggard; in his fifth, a 
Jiag; and, in his fixth, a hart : whereas the female, 
(the hind) in her firft year, is called a calf; in her 
fecond, a bear/e; and, in her third, a.bi?/d. 
The Stag, when in his retreat, is faid to harbour; 
and, when he cries, to bell. The print of his hoof 
is called a foi; his tail, a fingh; and his ordure, 
the feumet. His iiorns are denominated his head: 
when fimple the firft year, they obtain the name of 
hroches ; the third year, [pears ; the fourth year, 
that part which bears the antlers is ftiled the beam, 
and the little impreffions on it's ^mhcQ, glitters ; 
while diofe which rife from the cruft of the beam 
are cdiWtd pearls. The antlers alfo have diftinfc 
names: the firft" which branches off is called the 
antler; the fecond, the far-antler; and all the reft 
which grow afterwards are called royal antlers, 
except the higheft, which is called the crown: 
the little protuberances about the tops are called 
croches. The impreffion on the place where the 
Stag has repofed, is ftiled the layer; but if it be in 
a covert, or a thicket, it is called iiis harbour. 
When he has entered a diicket, and there left 
marks by which his fize may be gueffed, it is called 
an entry; when he cafts his head, he is faid to 
meiv; and, when he rubs it againft the branches 
of trees, in order to difengage the peel of his 
horns, he is faid to fray. When the animal, after 
D E E 
being hard hunted, takes to the water, he is faid 
go fail; when he turns his head againft the hounds, 
he is faid to bay; and, when the hoxinds purfue on 
the fcent till they have unharboured him^ they are 
faid to draw on the flot. 
Such is a fpecimen of the terms ufed by huMers 
in purfuing the Stag; many of which are now ei- 
ther become obfolete, or only retained by huntflnen 
and game-keepers. The chace, however, ftiil con- 
tinues a favourite fport in thofe parts of the kinp-- 
dom where Red Deer abound ; and often confti- 
tutes the amufement of thofe whofe minds might 
be fuppofed capable of more liberal purfuits. 
In thofe few places where this animal remains 
perfectly wild, that amulement, as already obferved, 
is far fuperior. The firft grand concern of the 
hunter, when he leads forth his hounds to the 
mountain's fide, where Deer are generally known 
to refort, is to feledt a proper Stag for the chace. 
His ambition is to unharbour the largeft and bold- 
eft of the whole herd ; and for this purpofe he ex- 
amines the track, which if he finds long and large, 
he concludes that it muft have belonged to a Stag, 
and not a hind, whofe footfteps are rounder. Thofe 
prints alfo which he leaves on trees by rubbing his 
horns againft them, demonftrate his fize, and point 
him out as a proper objeft of purfuit. 
In tracing Stags to their haunts, the following 
particulars are obfervable. They change their 
manner of feeding every month. At the conclu- 
fion of their rutting-time, which is about Novem- 
ber, they feed in heaths and broom.y places. In 
December, they herd together, withdrawing into 
the bofoms of forefts, for flielter from the feve- 
rity of the weather, where they feed on holm, 
elder-trees, and brambles. The three fubfequent 
months, (namely, January, February, and March) 
they feparate into companies of four or five; and, 
venturing towards the margins of the woods, there 
feed on winter pafture, but fomctimes making in- 
curfions into the neighbouring corn-fields, in order 
to devour the tender ftioots on their firft appear- 
ance above ground. In April and May, they reft 
in thickets and other ffiady places, feldom ventur- 
ing forth unlefs rouzed by impending danger. In 
September and 06tober, their annual ardour re- 
turns ; and then they quit the thickets, and boldly 
face every danger, without any certainty either of 
food or flielter. 
When, from a knowledge of the foregoing cir- 
cumftances, the hunters have dilcovered the refi- 
dence of the Stag, and the quality of the game, 
their next bufinefs is to uncouple and caft off their 
hounds in the purfuit; who no fooner perceive the 
timid animal flying before them, than they open ia 
concert in full cry, following rather by the fcent 
than the view, encouraging each other to perievere 
in the chace, and tracing the fugitive with amazing 
fagacity: nor are the fportfmen lefs ardent, cheer- 
ing the d )gs, and directing their purfuit. On 
the other hand, the Stag, when firft unharboured, 
feems to fly with the velocity of the wind, leaving 
his purfuers far behind him; till at length, having 
o-ained his former coverts, and no lono-er hearing 
the cries either of the hounds or hunters, heftops, 
views every objecl around him, and feems to reco- 
ver iiis natural tranquillity. But this ceffation 
proves only moaientary; for his refoiute puriuers 
continue to trace him, and he is once more ap- 
prized of his approaching deftruftion. He, how- 
ever, renews his efforts to efcape, and again leaves 
his enemies almoft at their former diftance: but 
this 
